Protective covering for garment hangers



March 24, 1959 PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR GARMENT HANGERS Filed Aug. 29,1955 M. GLOWKA 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 J4 I/l E rag-EFL INVENTOR. #1 i1; 9- 32MARTIN GLowKA March 24; 1959 Filed Aug. 29, 1955 M. GLOWKA 2,878,978

PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR GARMENT HANGERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.MARTIN GLowKA March 24, 1959 Filed Aug. 29, 1955 M. GLOWKA PROTECTIVECOVERING FOR GARMENT HANGERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. MARTIN GLowKAMarch 24, 1959 M. GLOWKA 2,878,978 PROTECTIVE covxzamc FOR GARMENTHANGERS Filed Aug. 29, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 1N VEN TOR. MARTIN GLOWKABY 8 AY'YWRME) March 24, 1959' Filed Aug. 29, 1955 M. GLOWKA PROTECTIVECOVERING FOR GARMENT HANGERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. MARTIN GLOWKAMarch 2 1 M. GLOWKA 2,878,978

PROTECTIVE! COVERING FOR GARMENT HANGERS Filed Aug. 29, 1955 6Sheets-Sheet 6 I INVENTOR. MARTIN GLOWKA United States Patent PROTECTIVECOVERING FOR GARMENT HANGERS Martin Gl'owka, New York, NY.

Application August 29, .1955, Serial No. 530,941

1 Claim. (Cl. 223--98) This invention relates to a covering for agarment hanger, and more particularly has reference to a covering offlexible plastic material, that can be applied to a garment hanger witha minimum of difficulty, for the purpose ofprotecting the same.

It has been found that garment hangers having metal suspending hookstend to become rusty upon the surface of the hook, and also at nearbylocations upon the body of the hanger. This is due to the fact that thisportion of the hanger is continuously exposed, and is at all times outof contact with the supported garment.

In view of the above, the main object of the present invention is toprovide an inexpensive covering for these normally exposed parts of agarment hanger, which covering can be applied to a conventional garmenthanger with a minimum of difiiculty, in position to protect the metallicparts of the hanger at the center thereof where the garment is not incontact with the hanger.

Another object is to so design the covering as to extend the samethroughout the length of the hook, thus to cause the. covering to engagethe clothes bar from which the hook is dependingly supported, to preventscratching of the bar and also to reduce the noise caused bymetal-tometal contact of the hook and support bar during the movementsof the hanger relative to the bar.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

.Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a garment hanger equipped With acovering formed according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line, 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is. an enlarged bottom plan view of the covering as seen from theline 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a, fragmentary front elevational view of a modification.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary. front elevation of a secondmodification.

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

.Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front elevation of a thirdmodification.

Fig. 10 is a section on line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of a fourth modification.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the covering shown in Fig.11, per se.

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of a fifth modification.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged section on line 14-14 -of'Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a longitudinal section through a sixth modification, a wiregarment hanger to which the covering is applied being illustratedfragmentarily and in elevation.

r 2,878,978 Patented Mar. 24, 1959 ICC Fig. 16 is an enlarged transversesection on line 16--1'6 of 'Fig. 1.5.

Fig. 1.7 is a view similar to Fig. 15 showing a seventh modification.

Fig. 18 is. a fragmentary side elevational view of a garment hanger andcovering, showing an eighth modification.

Fig. 19 is a transverse section on line 19-49 of Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a ninth modification, a garment hangerbeing illustrated-in dotted lines fragmentarily.

Fig. 21 is a view similar to. Fig. 20 showing a tenth modification.

Fig. 22 is a view similar to Fig. 20 showing an eleventh modification.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a garment hanger and covering, showinga twelfth modification.

Fig. 24 is an enlarged section on line 24-24 of Fig. 23.

Fig. 25 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a thirteenthmodification.

Fig. 26 is a view similar to Fig. 25 showing afourteenth modification.

Fig. 27 is a view similar to Fig. 25 showing a fifteenth modification.

Fig. 28 is a view similar to Fig. 26 showing a sixteenth modification.

Fig. 29 is a view similar to Fig. 27 showing a seventeenth modification.1

Fig. 30 is a view similar to Fig. 27 showing an eighteenth modification.

Fig. 31 is a view similar to Fig. 27 showing a nineteent modification.

Fig. 32 is a perspective View similar to Fig. 27 showing a twentiethmodification.

Fig. 3.3 is a front elevational view similar to Fig. 1 showing atwenty-first modification.

Fig. 34 is a disassembled perspective view of the covering of Fig. 3-3.

The reference numeral 10 has been applied generally to one form ofgarment hanger to which the protective covering constituting the presentinvention can be applied. Such a garment hanger is of conventionalconstruction per se, and. includes a horizontally extending trouserssupport bar 12, upwardly converging coat support arms 14 integrallyformed upon the ends of the bar, and a hook 16 formed as an integralextension of the upper ends of. the one of the arms, the upper end ofthe other arm being twisted about the shank of the hook. The hanger isformed from a single length of wire material, and often, the centerportion of the hanger, that is, the hook and the convergent ends of thearms, tends to corrode, rust, or be otherwise adversely affected by thesurrounding air, due to the fact that this part of the hanger is notengaged completely by the supported garment.

Accordingly, to protect the designated part of the hanger, there isprovided a plastic covering 18, formed from a single piece of flexibleplastic material shaped approximately as an inverted Y, with said Yincluding a leg or hook enclosing portion 20, extending the length ofthe hook 16. The hook 16 may be bent straight temporarily, to permitapplication of the portion 20, after which the hook can be returned toits curved shape together with the part of the sleeve 20 through whichit extends.

At its lower end, the sleeve 20 is integral with downwardly divergentbranch sleeves 22, extending in opposite directions and receiving theinner or convergent end are provided depending enlargements to which areconnected cooperating gripper fastener elements 26. It will thus be seenthat with the elements 26 separated, the entire device can be slippeddownwardly uponthe hanger while the upper end of the hook is bentstraight. There- ,after, the gripper fastener elements are connectedtogether while the upper portion of the hook is bent back to itsprevious shape. The cover is thus efiectively mounted upon the hangerand will not slip from place throughout the time that it is inprotective relation to the center part of the hanger.

'and 8, the garment hanger 38 is of the conventional plastic type havinga swiveled metal hook at its center. In such a hanger, there areprovided downwardly divergent arms 40 integrally formed from a singlepiece of plastic material shaped with a flat web 42 and a continuous,peripheral flange 44. At the intersection of the arms, a vertical boss46 is aligned with an enlargement 48 of the lower portion of the web, aslot 50 being disposed between the boss and enlargement. The shank ofthe hook extends through the boss and enlargement and through the slot,and is swivelly connected to the hanger by the provision of flattenedportions on the shank within the slot which prevent endwise movement ofthe hook shank.

The protective covering has been designated at 52, and as in theprevious forms of the invention, it is 'formed from flexible plasticmaterial, with a tubular hook-enclosing part 54 merging at its lower endinto side walls 56 overlying the opposite sides of the hanger. The sidewalls 56 have inwardly facing lugs 58 integrally formed thereupon, theseengaging under the flange, against the opposite faces of the web. Thisholds the protective covering upon the hanger, due to the fact that theinherently resilient sides of the protective covering tend to swinginwardly to hold the lugs under the flange.

In the fourth form of the invention shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the deviceis applied to the same type of hanger as that shown at 38. However, inthis arrangement, the hanger covering is in matching halves. Each halfhas a hook-receiving part 60 widened at its lower end, to define sidewalls fitted with snap fasteners 62 connectable to one another atopposite sides of the base of the hook, immediately above the body ofthe hanger. Below the snap fasteners 62 the side walls are extended atopposite sides of the center portion of the body of the hanger,

' nated at 68, and is of the type formed of wood material with a metalhook, the hanger having wooden arms 70 and a metal hook 72 at the innerends of the arms. The protective covering includes a tubular hookreceiving portion 74 merging at its lower end into opposed side walls 76adapted to engage against opposite sides of the midlength part of thehanger. The side walls have downwardly convergent side edges, reducingthe respective side walls in widthin the direction of their lower ends,and thelower ends of the side walls are projected below the underside ofthe midlength part of the hanger body and are provided with snapfasteners 78 to connect the covering securely in place about the hangerbody.

In the next form of the invention shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the garmenthanger 80 is also a conventional type, having a body portion of arcuateformation formed from a single piece of wood material. The hanger hookhas been designated at 82, and has a flattened part 83 intermediate itsends. The protective covering includes a hook-receiving tubular portion84 and this also has a flattened part as shown at 86, contacting theopposite faces of the flattened part 83. The construction is adapted tohold the tubular hook-receiving portion 84 against endwise movementalong the length of the hook, thus effectively holding the covering inplace to sheathe the hook against exposure to the surrounding air. Thehanger hook 83 is formed with an intermediate fiat portion 85 adapted toengage the wood material and an end flattened portion 87 engaged in arecess 88 formed at the bottom center portion of the wood material ofthe hanger 80 to prevent rotation or turning of the hanger hook 82. Inthe form shown in Figs. 15 and 16, molded about the base of the hook ofa conventional wire hanger 10 is a solid plastic sheath 190 integrallyformed with outwardly extending legs 192 enclosing the inner ends of thedownwardly divergent coat support arms of the hanger. On the outer endsof legs 192 there are formed upwardly and inwardly directed books 194,adapted to cooperate with the legs 192 in affording a support for ties,belts, and the like, which can be draped over the legs 192 'and heldagainst movement off the legs by the hook elements 194. The plasticsheath is of a hard plastic,

T but alternatively, can be of a relatively soft plastic the hook andseating at its lower end upon the inner end portions of the downwardlydivergent coat support arms of the hanger 128. The sleeve can be of softmaterial, and can be slightly resilient, so as to permit the same to heslipped over the enlargement 130, after which the small end of thesleeve contracts under the enlargement to hold the same in place.

In Figs. 18 and 19, applied to the hanger 128 is a sectionallyconstituted, tapering sleeve composed of confronting sections 198 ofsemicircular cross section, each of said sections having outwardlyextending ears 200. The ears 200 are extended in engagement with oneanother and are fitted with complementary gripper fastener elements 202,204, to permit the sleeve to be detachably secured about the base of thehook shank below the enlargement 130.

In Fig. 20, applied to the wire hanger 10 is a sectionally constitutedcovering including an elongated, openended bottom portion 88 formingoutwardly and oppositely projecting sleeves enclosing the inner endportions of the coat support arms of the hanger. The portion 88 isformed with longitudinal slits extending inwardly from opposite ends ofthe portion 88, and merging into diametrically opposite, longitudinalslits formed in a tapering, tubular sleeve enclosing the base part ofthe support hook of the hanger. The formation of the diametricallyopposite slits in said sleeve defines sleeve sections 92, said sectionshaving outwardly, oppositely projecting cars 94 lying in a plane commonto the plane of the garment support portion of the garment hanger 10,said ears being provided with cooperating gripper fastener elements 96.

Projecting upwardly from the opposite end portions of the bottom sleeve88 are hook-like abutments 98 of inverted L-shape, the free end of saidabutments being faced toward the hook-sha'ik-enclosing sleeve sections92. Formed on the base parts of the sections '92 are projections orfingers 100, terminating short of the free ends of the abutments 98. Byreason of this arrangement, there is defined between the base of thesections 92 and the abutments 98 a space in which ties or belts can beinserted, to be hung upon the bottom sleeve '88, the projections 100 andthe free end portions of the abutments 98 cooperating to preventaccidental falling of the supported articles from the covering.

In Fig.21, applied to the base part of the support part of hanger is anupwardly tapering plastic sleeve 102, integrally formed at its base withoutwardly and oppositely .projecting hook elements 104, the free endsof-which are turned upwardly. The elements 104 lie in a plane common tothat of the main part or garment support portion of the hanger, and arerelatively elongated, so as to permit ties or belts to be hung upon saidelements.

In Figs. 22, an upwardly tapering sleeve is formed of complementarysections 106, having outwardly projecting ears 108 fitted with gripperfastener elements. The ears 108 lie in a plane normal to the plane ofthe main or garment support portion of the hanger, while the hookelements 110, integrally formed upon the base portion of each section106, lie in a plane normal to the plane of the ears 108.

In Fig. 23, a garment hanger 10 is sheathed over the full length of themain portion thereof with plastic or rubber, and the covering includesan upwardly tapering sleeve 112 enclosing the base part of the supporthook. Sleeve 112 is integral at its lower end with outwardly projecting,downwardly divergent arm coverings 114, said coverings 114 having alongitudinal slit extending from end to end thereof, on the undersidesof the arm coverings. As a result, the sleeve 112 can be slipped overthe hook of the hanger, and the slits can be opened to permit insertionof the inner end portions of the coat support arms of the hanger.

Enclosing the lower part or trousers bar of the hanger is an elongatedsleeve 116, having a longitudinal slit 118 in its upper surface, topermit said sleeve 116 to be positioned about the trousers bar. At itsopposite ends, the sleeve 116 is integral with upwardly convergentextensions 120, terminating in engagement with the outer ends of the armcoverings 114.

To clamp the free ends of the arm coverings 114 and extensions 120 tothe downwardly divergent coat support arms of the hanger, there areprovided spring metal bands 122, 124, which, as shown in Fig. 24, extendabout their associated plastic members to hold the same in engagementwith the associated part of the garment hanger. A single metal band 126can be extended about the trousers bar sleeve 116, medially between theopposite ends of said sleeve 116.

In Fig. 25, the covering is applied to the hanger 128, and includes apair of sections 132, cooperating to provide a tapering sleeve enclosingthe base part of the support hook of the hanger. At their lower ends,sections 132 are integral with outwardly projecting sleeve extensions134 enclosing the coat support arms of the hanger. The entire body ofthe garment hanger would be sheathed by the members 134 in the samemanner as shown in Fig. 23, and the members 134, as will be understood,would terminate short of the outer ends of the arms of the hanger, so asto abut against the free ends of the extensions 120.

In Fig. 25 construction, the sections 132 are not connected to oneanother, but by reason of their inherent resiliency are held inengagement with the hanger, the sleeves 134 having longitudinal slits136 in their undersides to facilitate the attachment of the device tothe hanger.

In Fig. 26, the construction is similar to Figs. 23 and E 25', exceptfor the provision of means to connect the sections of the hanger supporthook protective sleeve. In this form, said sleeve is composed ofsections 138 having ears 140 provided with gripper fastener elements142, the sections 138 being integral at their lower ends with armenclosing sleeves 144 similar to the sleeves 134.

In Fig. 27, the construction is adapted for protectively covering aconventional :garment hanger 145 of the type having a wooden body. Inthis form, the upwardly projecting, tapering sleeve 146 is of one pieceformation, and at its base has diametrically opposite, outwardlyextending projections 148 spaced from projections 150 of inverted'L-shape formed upon the arm-enclosing sleeves 152. The sleeves 152would be extended to enclose the complete body of the hanger, in themanner shownin Fig. 23.

In Fig. 28, the covering is again used in association with a woodengarment hanger body having a wire sup port hook. The garment hanger hasbeen designated'at 154,'and has a flattened enlargement 156 on the shankof the support hook thereof. The sleeve 158 enclosing the base of thehook shank is integral at its lower end with arm-enclosing sleeveportions 160. This form of the invention, like the form shown in Fig.27, can be molded about the body of the hanger so as to completelyenclose the same.

In Fig. 29, the protective covering is again applied to the hanger 154,and includes cooperating sleeve sections 162 enclosing the base part ofthe support hook. Sections 162 are formed with contacting ears 164having cooperating gripper fastener elements 166, the ears lying in aplane normal to the plane of the body of the hanger. Integral with thelower ends of the respective sections 162 are outwardly extendingarm-enclosing sleeves 168.

In Fig. 30, applied to the hanger 154 is a covering including sleevesections having ears 172 provided with gripper fastener elements. Theears lie in a plane normal to the plane of the hanger, said plane beingnormal to the plane of outwardly projecting fingers 178 formed upon therespective sections 179. Fingers 178 terminate in closely spacedrelation to the free ends of inverted L-shaped abutments 176 carried bythe outwardly projecting arm-enclosing sleeves 174, that are formedintegrally with the lower ends of the sections 170.

In Fig. 31, applied to the hanger 154 is a covering which does notenclose the body of the hanger. The covering, instead, comprisescomplementary sleeve sections 180 enclosing the base part of the supporthook shank. Formed upon the opposite edges of the sections 180 are ears182 having gripper fastener elements for connecting the same. Ears 182lie in a plane normal to that of the body of the hanger, and formed uponthe lower ends of the sections 180 are outwardly extending, upturnedbooks 184 providing means for supporting belts or ties from the hanger.The books 184 are in a plane common to that of the body of the hanger.

In Fig. 32, applied to the hanger 154 is a protective sleeve 186 ofintegral formation, having at its base outwardly projecting hookelements 188 disposed in the plane of the garment hanger body.

In Figs. 33 and 34, applied to the hanger 190 is a covering includingcooperative sleeve sections 191 and 192 enclosing the base part of thesupport hook. Sleeve sections 191 and 192 carry cooperating snapfastener elements 193 and 194 respectively. Integral with the lower endof sleeve section 191 are outwardly extending arms 195 and 196. Thelower edge of arm 195 is curled upon itself to form an arm enclosingtubular portion 197.

Integral with the lower end of sleeve 192 are outwardly extending arms198 and 199. The lower edge of arm 199 is curled upon itself to form anarm enclos ing tubular part 200.

In all forms of the invention, the device is characterized by itssheathing, either partially or completely, the

hook portion of a garment hanger, thus to protect said hook portionagainst corrosion and further, to eliminate noisy metal-to-metal contactbetween the hook of the hanger and an associated clothes support bar ofa closet, not shown.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent A protective covering for agarment hanger having a hook and an angular-shaped body, comprising aflexible plastic tubular portion having a length corresponding to thelength of said hook adapted to enclose completely said hook, saidtubular portion at one end extending at least to said body, and means tohold said portion against slippage longitudinally ofr' the hook, thecovering being formed substantially in an inverted Y-shape, with thetubular portion forming the leg of said Y, said covering includingintegral downwardly divergent branches at one end of the tubular portionforming the arms of the Y, said branches being adapted to receive theangular midlength portions of said body, said covering having acontinuously extending slit disposed longitudinally of said branches,the branches at their divergent ends having, at opposite sides of theslit, mating separable fastener elements for closing the slit at itsends, said elements being formed as gripper fasteners.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,657,806 OBryon Jan. 31, 1928 2,192,237 Nettles Mar. 5, 1940 2,348,523Chaikin May 9, 1944 2,525,158 Van Derbeck Oct. 10, 1950

